Technically speaking, almost all components of ransomware, such as spear phishing, watering hole attacks involving popular and trustworthy websites, antivirus evasion techniques or data encryption algorithms, are well-known and have been used separately by hackers since years. However, modern ransomware certainly merits a classification as one of the most evolving sectors of cybercrime in 2017.

Though it is quite difficult to calculate the overall damage caused by ransomware in 2016, some researchers state that cybercriminals received over $1 billion in ransom payments last year. Others mention a 3,500% increase in the criminal use of infrastructure that helps run ransomware campaigns. Carbon Black says that ransomware is the fastest growing malware across industries, up 50% in 2016. Technology (218%), utilities and energy (112%) and banking (93%) saw the highest year-on-year ransomware growth last year.

Due to an important lack of qualified technical personnel and other resources, law enforcement agencies are globally unprepared to detect, prevent and prosecute this type of digital crime. Moreover, more and more cases of ransom payment by the police have become public, while those police officers who dare to resist take a substantive risk. There is the Texas police who lost eight years of their investigative work and all of the evidence by refusing to pay cybercriminals. This sad statistic explains why the majority of despaired victims of cybercrime fail to report it to the law enforcement agencies.

Attackers can easily rent a Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) infrastructure for as low as $39.99 per month, making up to $195,000 of monthly profit without much effort in comparison to other niches of digital fraud and crime. The business of ransomware has become so attractive that some cybercriminals dont even bother to actually encrypt the data, but just extort money from their victims with fake malware. The victims are so scared by media stories about ransomware, combined with law enforcement agencies inability to protect them or at least to punish the offenders, that they usually pay.

The new generation of ransomware attacks IoT and smart devices, locking not only mobiles and smart TVs, but also doors in hotels and air conditioning systems in luxury smart houses. Criminals switch from file encryption to database encryption and web applications, demonstrating a great scalability of ransomware tactics.

To increase their profits, hacking teams behind the ransomware campaigns now threaten to send the victims sensitive data to all of their contacts instead of just deleting it. Cryptocurrencies allow attackers to receive online payments almost without any risk of being traced and prosecuted. Despite the media hype around blockchains ability to reinvent and improve the world, so far only the cybercriminals have entirely leveraged the full potential of this emerging technology.

A simple business model, high profits, accessibility and affordability of resources to deploy large-scale attacking campaigns, and low risks in comparison to other sectors of (cyber)crime, assure the flourishing future of ransomware. All of this without mentioning the problem of global inequality actually causing the cybercrime, which I briefly described in Forbes recently.

Nonetheless, it does not mean that organizations should give up. The FBI confirms the skyrocketing problem of ransomware, but suggests relying on prevention rather than paying ransom to the criminals. PwC also suggests to plan and prepare the organization to this kind of incident in order to have internal capabilities to recover without suffering important financial losses.

Some cybersecurity vendors, like SentinelOne, contractually guarantee protection and provide a financial insurance for their clients. Others, like Kaspersky, offer free tools to decrypt data compromised by popular malware. Last, but not least, Europols No More Ransom public-private partnership with other law enforcement agencies and leading cybersecurity companies, provides a comprehensive collection of free tools to recover the data and clean the systems infected with ransomware.

Below are six essential steps that will help you avoid paying ransoms:

By following those rules, any company and organization can significantly reduce their risk of having to pay ransom. Attackers would rather target easy and unprepared victims, instead of spending their efforts on any particular organization. Properly implemented security standards, like ISO 27001, can also prevent the vast majority of costly ransomware incidents.

However, keep in mind that information security starts with factual security, not with a paper-based compliance. If your IT infrastructure is secure in practice, you will not only easily pass the majority of compliance and regulation requirements, but you will also defend your business from many vectors of cybercrime, including the growing monster of ransomware.

This article is published as part of the IDG Contributor Network. Want to Join?

Originally posted here:
Ransomware 2.0: Anatomy of an emerging multibillion business - CSO Online

In 2006, editors from Newsweek magazine picked this picture for the front of an issue on the 25th anniversary of AIDS. The woman, Jennifer Jako, was HIV positive and 6 months pregnant. (Ethan Hill ) Feb 8, 2017 by Kenny Malone

About nine years ago, 17.5 million people tuned into an episode of Greys Anatomy that, on the surface, appeared like any other high-stakes surgery, high-drama love triangles. What those millions of Greys viewers didnt know was that they were guinea pigs for a massive, secret experiment.

That experiment was arguably a referendum about a single woman: Jennifer Jako, and her decision to become a mother.

In 1991, at the age of 18, Jako had a one night stand with a high-school friend. It was the only time shed ever had sex without a condom. She contracted HIV and spent years trying to debunk misconceptions: producing a documentary that aired on MTV, speaking at college campuses and on talk shows.

Over time, the countrys view of HIV evolved. As people started living longer, stigma decreased. People generally understood that the infection wasnt a death sentence any longer.

But there was one area people couldnt seem to understand: Pregnancy. Studies showed the general public simply didnt know or didnt believe that an HIV-positive woman, with the right treatment, had a tremendously low chance of passing the virusonto her baby less than 2-percent at the time.

Jennifer Jako got a cruel lesson in where the public stood when she appeared on the cover of Newsweek magazine, six months pregnant.

Later, as an experiment, the Kaiser Family Foundation decided to see if they could move the needle by trying something totally different: product placement of medical information in a Greys Anatomy episode.

In this episode of Only Human we tell the epic story of Jennifer Jako and how she managed to sneak into our livings rooms and, possibly, change public opinion forever.

Artist: Ruby Velle

Album: Used Me Again (Now Lose Me Forever)

Artist: Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics

Album: RUBY VELLE & THE SOULPHONICS - SINGLES

Artist: Consolidated

Album: Business of Punishment

Artist: David Szesztay

Album: Atmospheric Electric Guitar

Artist: Podington Bear

Album: Bon Voyage

Artist: Blue Dot Sessions

Artist: Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics

Album: It's About Time - Instrumentals

Artist: Rob Bridgett

Album: amba

Artist: Podington Bear

Album: Bon Voyage

Artist: Kevin MacLeod

Album: Global Sampler

Artist: Justin Marcellus

Album: Replicants, Nexus & Noir

Artist: Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics

Album: It's About Time - Instrumentals

Only Human is a show about health that we all can relate to. Because every body has a story. Produced by WNYC Studios.

Go here to read the rest:
The Woman Behind a Secret Grey's Anatomy Experiment - WNYC

The Webber and Minnick feud continues on season 13 ofGrey's Anatomy, and Bailey is going to have to make a difficult decision when one of the attendings refuses to work with Eliza. But where does Catherine stand? That's what April wants to know.

Also in episode 11, "None of Your Business," Maggie's mother pays her a surprise visit at the hospital, and Stephanie is caught up in Owen and Amelia's personal drama.

Grey's Anatomy Recap: Where in the World is Alex Karev?>>>

Watch a Grey's Anatomy sneak peek as April tries to determine why Catherine's in town:

Is she in town to "put a halt" to the Webber/Bailey/Minnick "stuff," April wants to know. But just because Richard is her husband doesn't mean that they don't each have their jobs, as do Bailey and April, Catherine points out. She thinks that April should focus on the scans and not her marriage.

Grey's Anatomy season 13 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC. Want more news? Like our Grey's Anatomy Facebook page.

(Image courtesy of ABC)

Originally posted here:
[WATCH] 'Grey's Anatomy' Sneak Peek: Will Catherine Be Able to Resolve the Webber and Minnick Feud? - BuddyTV (blog)

Washington Husky Quarterback Jake Browning is recovering from surgery on his throwing shoulder. Heres why this is very good news

Quarterback Jake Browning led the Washington Huskies to the NCAA football playoffs. There, he ran into a tough Alabama defense and the team lost the game 24-7. But unknown to many, Browning was not up to 100%. In fact, he had injured his throwing shoulder early in the season in the home victory over Arizona State.

The following week, the Huskies would lose to the visiting USC Trojans 26-13. They would not lose another game until the playoffs.

In retrospect, his performance in the Arizona State and USC games were below average for the young hurler. With a season average rating of 167.5, his Arizona State win came in at 61.4 percent completion for 338 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for a rating of 131.8. The following week, he completed 37.5percent of his passes for 118yards twotouchdowns and zerointerceptions for a rating of 106.3. In the playoff game facing Alabama, he completed 52.6 percent of his passes for 150 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for a rating of 83.9. All efforts contributed to the two season losses.

But an injury to the throwing shoulder can lead to below average performances. While we do not know the exact nature of the injury, we do know these facts:

So in summary, the injury is relatively minor. But based on the evidence, what is the most likely injury?

Nov 12, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Browning (3) lies on the turf following a 21-yard loss on a scramble against the USC Trojans during the fourth quarter at Husky Stadium. USC defeated Washington, 26-13. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

In summary, there are three types of soft tissues that could be mended with a minor surgical procedure: cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

While cartilage is the plastic-like tissue that covers the ends of bones, acting like lubricant and shock absorbers, ligaments are the soft connective tissue that holds the joint together. Secondly, tendons are the soft connective tissues that anchor muscles to bones and joints. In the case of a minor shoulder injury, any of the three tissues could be injured.

Healing any of these types of injuries are similar in arthroscopic surgery. So lets discuss the process:

Phase I : Post Operative recovery This is the period of time immediately following surgery. Browningwill need to keep the shoulder as immobile as possible and to keep hisarm in a sling. The use of the sling keeps the weight of hisarm off of thesoft tissues which assists in the healing process. (through Feb 2017)

Phase II: Passive Physical Therapy For the next six to eight weeks, Browning enters passive physical therapy. Now he will work with a physical therapist to perform gentle, assisted exercises to help regain movement and range of motion inhis shoulder. Because damaged tissues are still actively healing,his shoulder joint needs to be supported during movement. (Mid April 2017)

Phase III: Active Physical Therapy Now the therapy changes from motion to strength. Browning will be tasked with building his shoulder strength gradually to avoid reinjury, but at an intensive pace to meet the demands of the 2017 football season. While this period will progress quickly, the minimum is likely to be three months time. (End July 2017)

Oct 8, 2016; Eugene, OR, USA; The University of Washington Huskies football team takes the field before the start of a game against the University of Oregon at Autzen Stadium. The Huskies won 70-21. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Husky Spring Football game will be held on Saturday, April 22nd. Its highly unlikely Jake Browning will be playing in that game. The team will likely have Tony Rodriguez, Jeff Lindquist, Blake Gregory, Daniel Bridge-Gadd and K.J. Carta-Samuels active for the game. The team also has 2017 recruit QB Jake Haener in the mix for the 2017 season.

It is very unlikely that Jake Browning will suit up for this game.

The Huskies regular season begins on September 1st on a coast to coast road trip to Piscataway, New Jersey to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. As of now, Browning will very likely be suited up and ready to go for the season opener.

With his shoulder fully healed, Browning should be far more effective to close out this season. It was the Seattle Times Adam Jude who first reported the shoulder injury to quarterback Jake Browning in mid January. He followed up with a second article on February 1 to confirm that Brownings status was determined to be doing well by head coach Chris Petersen.

Weve already had a plan you know, Jake is one of those guys that just loves to throw and throw and throw, Petersen said. So from really when he got here, weve been trying to back him off (after) these long years, to make sure. And so he should be fine for spring ball, but also want to give these other (quarterbacks) some really good work in spring ball. Chris Petersen per Adam Judes interview

And so, there was a little ambiguity here. Yes, Jake Browning is right on track. Yes, He will be fine for spring ball. He may even be throwing by then. But dont panic when he isnt suiting up for the annual Spring Football game.

He will be good, but he wont be THAT good.

This article originally appeared on

Read more here:
The Anatomy of Washington Husky Quarterback Jake Browning ... - FOXSports.com

"We hope the internet goes crazy."

That's what Amy Krehbiel, P&G associate brand director for Tide, told Ad Age the brand hoped to accomplish from its unprecedented Super Bowl ad in which Terry Bradshaw feigns a stain.

And now, inside the Procter & Gamble war room, during the Big Game, comes Tide's moment of truth. The millions spent, months of hard work and top-level secrecy are all coming to fruition in this 75 seconds.

Will America fall for the stain?

Here is the original post:
Anatomy of an Ad: Moment of Truth for Tide's Stain - AdAge.com

In an empowering Instagram post, Greys Anatomy star Camilla Luddington announced shes expecting a girl, whom she will raise to be a little warrior.

On Feb 3, Luddington posted a photo on Instagram that showed her holding a onesie with the words Tomb Raider in training on it. In her caption, she wrote she was so excited to share the news that she and her partner, Matthew Alan, will be welcoming a baby girl into their family. And Luddington already has big plans for her little one.

I want her to grow up knowing how strong women are, she wrote.

The actress wrote that she will teach her daughter to be kind and to be vocal about what she thinks is right.

[I want her to grow up] to be a little warrior who is not afraid to use her voice and stand up for what she believes is right, she wrote. To navigate through life with courage and kindness, and to be one of the girls who says, You CAN sit with us....

Luddington also posted a funny video of Greys Anatomy co-star Ellen Pompeo directing her in a maternity photo shoot inspired by the pics Beyonc released two days earlier when she announced she was expecting twins.

I mean this is amazing, Pompeo said. You are pregnant at the same time as Beyonc. When is that ever going to happen again, Camilla?

Heres to hoping Luddingtons little warrior will team up with Beyoncs newest members of the BeyHive for some playdates.

The HuffPost Parents newsletter offers a daily dose of personal stories, helpful advice and comedic takes on what its like to raise kids today.Sign up here.

Go here to see the original:
Pregnant 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Has Big, Feminist Dreams For Her ... - Huffington Post

The inauguration of President Donald Trump revealed that the USA has more in common with the Czech Republic than anyone (presumably, Americans least of all) had hoped for.

President Trumps inauguration ceremony was a flop, at least within the parameters of the universe most of us live in. A universe, it turns out, not shared by Trump and his Press Secretary Sean Spicer. America is getting its first glimpse into the wonderful world of alternative facts, coming from the highest level and it honestly seems a bit shocked. But worry not dear, poor America: you are not the first nor the last. We have been there. We can share survival tips.

The Antichrists Lesson

For starters, there are historical precedents. When the then-President of the Czech Republic Vclav Klaus decided to employ known conspiracy theorist Petr Hjek, most famous for denying evolution, claiming that 9/11 was an inside job, and accusing the late Havel of having been a servant of Satan, he left more than a few heads scratching. Hjek, however, possessed a very useful ability: should it ever become necessary to draw the medias attention, he could always give an interview and bleat something about the Antichrist among us. And then shock and awe would follow.

It was not that what he claimed was particularly interesting or original; the trick was doing it from a position of authority.

This man worked directly for the president and because of that, when he spouted his drivel, the media listened because they simply could not afford to ignore him, especially with the appeal of pure, unadulterated bullshit being so high to audiences. Remove the authority, however, and you get just another conspiracy nut job with a blog. Which, coincidentally, is exactly what became of Hjek.

Now, it seems President Trump possesses a pet lunatic of his own in the person of his Director of Social Media, Dan Scavino. Hoaxes, conspiracy theories, smear campaigns, he has shared it all. The biggest challenge he has faced was to defend his lord and master after Trump retweeted an image from a white supremacist message board. Trumps campaign placed heavy emphasis on social media and there was no indication this would stop once he came in power so it will be quite a surprise if we do not hear more of the talented Mr. Scavino in the near future, and quite possibly in a newfound capacity as a sacrificial lamb. The thing about crackpots is that there are always more where they came from.

There is a lesson and a warning in this comparison: people in power always like having an idiot around and being near that power entitles said idiot to inflict his views on the country. So, dear America, you should prepare for a new onslaught of flashy nonsense.

Going Professional

The most obvious analogy, however, is that between the current presidents of the Czech Republic and the United States. Both President Zeman and President Trump are populists who declare strong pro-Russian views, both love the use of fear mongering and xenophobia to garner popularity and both possess a relationship with facts that can be described as tenuous at best. They also both employ PR specialists whose job descriptions include publicly ignoring realty.

In spite of rather overwhelming photographic evidence to the contrary, Sean Spicer claims President Trumps inauguration gathered the biggest crowd ever. It is a public, shameless lie delivered from a position of authority. It is, also, something that the Czech Republic happens to have experience with, especially given the results of last Novembers presidential vote gathering tour (above: the official version; below: police camera at the other end of the square). And it is an extremely efficient means of dealing with the pesky media.

Lenin is said to have coined the term useful idiot and a tame conspiracy theorist works very well in that role. Presidents Trump and Zeman, however, took this a step further.

What we have in Spicer and Ovek is a logical evolution: the professional idiot.

Here is how it works: the president either slips up or unabashedly tells a lie about, say, a historical article that totally exists or the oh-so-huge Chinese investments in the Czech Republic. The Media points it out and in steps Ovek, either insisting on the lie, producing an alternative and even more outrageous statement or attacking the media in extremely petty ways. Standard PR practice where the truth does not enter the process at any point, right? But there is a difference: professional idiocy results in the unprecedented presence of Zeman in the media the Czech Republic is not a presidential system, the man is there literally just to ruin our reputation abroad. Yet his every (mis)step is religiously followed by the media and he uses it to the maximum to voice populist views quite likely to help him in the next election after all, terror is coming!

Jester to Speaker

The professional idiot strategy works simultaneously as an attention grab and misdirection. Consider President Trumps inauguration mess. Almost immediately afterward, Trump followed it up with a lie about the popular election presumably the same invisible crowd present at his inauguration that happened to have voted invisibly by casting invisible ballots into invisible boxes. Americas stealth plane technology has apparently entered the public domain.

Meanwhile, Spicer proves that he is a real pro in the idiot biz by attacking the media and pitching another shovelful of bullshit towards the pile by stating that the inauguration had the largest audience ever, and by the way, why are we still talking about this and can we get to running that pipeline over Sioux sacred grounds again already?

A professional idiot possesses no qualms about ethics or taste and will most certainly not let something as trivial as facts slow him down on his way towards attention. An analogy to the time-honored institution of the court jester comes to mind, although with a rather crucial difference: while in ages past it was the jesters prerogative to talk smack in the presence of the monarch and to the monarch, it seems a supremely stupid suggestion to have the jester speak for the monarch.

To Wage War on Reality

There is another, altogether more sinister turn to this. A professional idiots job (which, at least in some cases, appears to be a hobby as well) is a symptom of society. Post-truth is the buzzword that immediately comes to mind, but there is more. A systematic denial of reality is also a tool of totalitarian propaganda: recall that the crowning achievement of indoctrination is doublethink. This is something professional idiots seem to radiate effortlessly, especially when flocking around politicians with dictatorial tendencies.

It is entirely possible that Spicer cheered along with the invisible crowd at the inauguration, that Zeman and Ovek read the article on the bottom left of the page and that Trump has evidence that the popular vote was tampered with by millions of illegal voters. We all do this to some extent mentally editing experiences and memories to fit our own world-view. It only becomes problematic once the person in question is unaware of the factand in possession of power.

And so we get alternative facts instead of lies, different recollections instead of mistakes and quickly evolving opinions instead of contradictions. It is a sign of the times. Perfectly natural. Nothing wrong about this sign of the times, we got the best times in the world.

Do not worry, America. You will be alternatively fine.

Go here to read the rest:
Professional Idiot: an Anatomy - PoliticalCritique.org

AHMEDABAD: The city reports six deaths per week on the road. Victims vary from senior citizens crossing a road to youths high on liquor behind wheels. Out of over 3,000 road accidents reported with EMRI 108 ambulances, majority take place in the city periphery on roads such as SG Road and SP Ring Road. Why do these accidents take place, and how to reduce fatalities?

A report by JP Research India, titled 'Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar Road Accident Study' analyzes 211 accidents that took place between February 2004 and February 2015 on the 31-km stretch of SG Road, 27 km of SP Ring Road, 13.5 km of NH8 and 27 km of state highways passing near or through Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

The study is part of a national scientific database called "Road Accident Sampling System - India" (RASSI). It is submitted to the state transport commissioner by the agency. According to the research, cars and two-wheelers posed highest risk of accidents among road users. Both segments were found involved in 56% (28% each) of total road accidents. Moreover, two-wheelers were most affected - having been involved in 53% of fatal accidents and 47% of serious accidents. The study mentions that only 22% of the total road accidents get reported to police. Moreover, out of 211 accidents, 34% were serious accidents, 8% fatal and 48% minor. In 8% cases, there were no injuries whereas in 2% cases there is unknown outcome.

See original here:
Anatomy of Ahmedabad's road accidents - Times of India

Updated February 07, 2017 10:02:49

What makes a song a hit, and why do some songs stay with us years later?

Musician turned academic Andrew West has written hundreds of songs, and he designed the world's first Masters degree in songwriting. He explains the secrets behind three classic hits.

Pretty Woman shows terrific attention to detail.

First of all, there's the tempo. They would have figured that out in the studio: not too slow, not too fast. And the final version of the song moves at a certain pace that feels exactly right.

The song also uses a dynamic build, the way that the musicians are playing. That memorable riff gets louder and louder until it seems absolutely necessary for Orbison's voice to come in.

It's also important to note the way Orbison uses harmonies on his voice, but only for certain sections of the song.

A lot of critical thought has gone into the way the song is arranged.

Sometimes having the chords match the musical expression, or the expression of the words, can work against the songwriter because it becomes too obvious.

Changing that gives the listener subtext, a backstory, so that you're thinking that maybe the person who sounds downhearted is actually feeling quite optimistic, so the listener becomes more interested in the story.

Highway Patrolman is a consummate example of a song that's written as a story, and one that doesn't work in consecutive time.

Springsteen moves the listener back and forth and by the time you've gotten four or five minutes into the song, you really feel that these people are real. You feel like you've got a sense of their past, their present and their future.

You'd be hard-pressed to equal the way he phrases it, the timing. It's like a great comedian: the spaces he leaves between the lines are the ones where you figure out what's just happened.

Because Springsteen paid so much attention to the way the lyrics are shaped, and the imagery in the lyrics, he put the music as far into the background as he could.

Springsteen actually recorded this entire album with the E Street Band, but those recordings weren't used.

He doesn't want the audience to be listening to the music or the music performances. He wants your attention on his words.

Winehouse's success draws first and foremost on her lyrics being fearlessly autobiographical.

When you put that voice, which is so obviously honest, within the musical influence of the old Stax and Motown records, then it's an irresistible combination.

In songs like Rehab and Back to Black, Winehouse makes use of very familiar song structures or chord sequences.

But Love is a Losing Game uses an A-A-A structure (or three verses), which is very unusual in popular music.

Across an album you need to mix songs that seem familiar, that you enjoy for their predictability, with songs that are completely unpredictable and you enjoy because you can't figure out what's coming next.

Topics: music, arts-and-entertainment, australia

First posted February 07, 2017 09:58:35

See more here:
From Bruce Springsteen to Amy Winehouse: The anatomy of a hit song - ABC Online

Entering Super Bowl 51, it seemed the Patriots bestand maybe onlychance was to keep Atlantas electrifying offense off the field. Sure enough, the Falcons finished with 46 snaps in Super Bowl 51, 18 fewer than the NFL average in 2016.

But the games biggest factor wasnt that Atlantas offense was off the field. It was that Atlantas defense was on it. A lot. For 93 snaps, to be exact. Naturally, fatigue set in. And thats the biggest reason why the Falcons suffered the greatest collapse in Super Bowl history.

Its worth examining exactly how those 93 snaps exhausted the Falcons. For starters, 93 snaps equates to playing a game and a half. Then factor in the adrenaline of that game being on the Super Bowl stage, and what happens to a players energy as that adrenaline wears off. Then add in the halftime, which is twice as long as usual. Yes, that gives your body more time to rest. But it also means your body must operate on an unfamiliar internal clock. Over your previous 18 games, your body had grown accustom to its halftime routine. Oh, and speaking of 18 games, that, too, is a lot. Its cumulative effect magnifies the toll of those 93 snaps.

* * *

* * *

More importantly, however, was the style of snaps the Falcons were playing. As expected, they defended the Patriots primarily with man coverage. When a defender plays man-to-man, hes chasing an offensive player all over the field. Thats considerably more taxing than sitting back in zone. Furthermore, Falcons defenders often matched to specific receivers in man. With the Patriots limitless supply of formations, those defenders were often crossing the field back and forth before the snap. Because chances were, if a defenders man aligned in, say, the left slot on one play, he very well could be aligned near the right sideline on the next. The 35- to 40-yard jogs that a defender takes to follow this add up. In fact, many NFL coaches who play man coverage will implement extra snaps of zone or limit their specific man-matchup calls in order to mitigate fatigue.

Mind you, this is all just with the secondary. There are also defensive linemen, who wear down faster than any position. Theyre constantly firing off the ball and wrestling with 300-pound blockers. Thats why Dan Quinn, like the rest of the NFL, employs a deep rotation up front. But on 93 snaps, even rotating defensive linemen succumb to exhaustion.

With the D-line tiring, the pressure that had been hounding Brady (he endured five sacks and about three times as many hits) dried up. Dwight Freeney stopped eating left tackle Nate Solders lunch. Grady Jarrett, who was sensational, flashed less. Vic Beasley no longer made noise. And thats when the greatest quarterback of all time rediscovered the precision accuracy that had evaded him for the first three quarters. With Brady in a clean pocket and throwing in rhythm, the Patriots had no trouble moving the ball.

This is where people want to assign blame. Quinn played too much man coverage! Matt Ryan and Kyle Shanahan blew it in crunch time, forcing Atlantas defense back on the field! No.

THE GREATEST COMEBACK EVER:Tom Bradys season started with a four-game suspension and ended, in dramatic fashion, with his fifth championship after the Patriots overcame the largest deficit in Super Bowl history.

The man coverage had been workingthats why Quinn kept playing it. The Falcons specifically had success in man-lurk coverage, keeping a free defender (safety Keanu Neal or linebacker DeVondre Campbell) in the shallow middle. That lurker took away New Englands crossing patterns and allowed the Falcons to switch coverage assignments on the flyBrady failed to recognize one of those switches when he threw the pick-six to Robert Alford.

As for Atlantas offense, to say that Ryan and Shanahan blew it is absurd. If the Falcons had given their best performance, would they have registered more than 46 snaps? Absolutely. But understand: the game didnt flow that way, plus Ryan and Shanahan stayed aggressive late in the fourth. After Danny Amendolas touchdown made it 28-20 with just under 6:00, the Falcons called a first-down play-action deep shot. Ryan checked it down to Devonta Freeman for 39 yards. Two plays later Ryan rifled a gutsy ball into double coverage to create an incredible sideline catch by Julio Jones. But after that, unfortunately, the Patriots broke down Atlantas protection, with Trey Flowers getting inside for a late-in-the-down sack (maybe Ryan wrongly held the ball, maybe he didnt; we cant know without seeing the all-22 film) and with Chris Long drawing a hold against left tackle Jake Matthews. On previous Falcons drives, there had been protection mistakes, both physical and mental, leading to sacks and a turnover. Those arent quarterbacking or offensive coordinating issues.

FOR THE BRADY FAMILY, REDEMPTION: Tom Brady Sr. on why this victory meant so much more

The reality is Atlantas defense was simply on the field too long. It wore down. If youre a unit built almost solely on speed, thats a problem big enough to cost you a Super Bowl.

Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.

More:
Anatomy of an All-Time Super Bowl Collapse - Monday Morning Quarterback